News
SLPP questions GR’s response to ‘Aragalaya’
… won’t expect miracles from new Prez
By Shamindra Ferdinando
The ruling Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) didn’t expect miracles from UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe but strongly believed he could meet the growing threat posed by fascists, lawmaker Sagara Kariyawasam, General Secretary of the party, said on Monday night.
Appearing on ‘Salakuna’ a live political programme on Hiru, SLPP National List MP said that the party unanimously decided to back Wickremesinghe’s candidature, at the presidential contest, in the wake of the so-called protest movement destroying properties belonging to 76 lawmakers and those belonging to other party activists and their relatives during meticulously planned and executed ‘operation.’
The protest movement also killed Polonnaruwa District MP Amarakeerthi Atukorale and his police bodyguard, MP Kariyawasam said, emphasizing that their decision was essentially influenced by serious security considerations.
The panel of journalists, comprising Chamuditha Samarawickrema, Madushan de Silva and Kalindu Vidanage, pressed Kariyawasam and UNP General Secretary and ex-MP, Palitha Range Bandara, over their agreement on the SLPP’s support for Wickremesinghe at the presidential contest.
In spite of Kariyawasam and Bandara repeatedly denying a written agreement, or verbal understanding, the Hiru panel sought an explanation how the UNP leader managed to obtain 133 votes other than the one vote exercised by Wickremesinghe himself.
The SLPP won 145 seats, including 17 National List slots at the last parliamentary election in August 2020 whereas the UNP was reduced to just one NL seat.
At one point, a smiling ex-State Minister Bandara asked the interviewers not to portray the SLPP’s backing for Wickremesinghe as another ‘ali koti’ agreement. Bandara was referring to the much-publicized accusations, directed at the UNP at previous national elections, before President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s government brought the war to a successful conclusion in May 2009.
Responding to queries, lawmaker Kariyawasam revealed that in the wake of stepped up protests, against the government, the SLPP advised the then President Gotabaya Rajapaksa against appointing another member of the government parliamentary group as the PM. The SLPP felt that replacing PM Mahinda Rajapaksa with one of their own wouldn’t have helped to bring the tensions down, MP Kariyawasam said.
UNPer Bandara emphasized that Wickremesinghe accepted the premiership on May 12 after Samagi Jana Balavegaya leader Sajith Premadasa, MP, and Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka, also of the same party, turned down President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s offer.
Asked whether SLPP strongman Basil Rajapaksa proposed Wickremesinghe’s name, lawmaker Kariyawasam said that a committee, chaired by him in his capacity as the General Secretary, decided to field Wickremesinghe at the presidential contest. Lawyer Kariyawasam said that former Premier Mahinda Rajapaksa, too, attended the meeting, via zoom technology.
According to MP Kariyawasam, of over 30 members of the decision-making body, led by Mahinda Rajapaksa, 23 participated at the meeting. Basil Rajapaksa and SLPP Chairman Prof. G.L. Peiris had been among those who didn’t attend the meeting.
MP Kariyawasam said that in spite of a Prof. Peiris acting contrary to the decision taken by the party, disciplinary measures hadn’t been initiated. The former Foreign Minister remained the SLPP Chairman, MP Kariyawasam said.
When interviewers sought an explanation as regards Mahinda Rajapaksa’s declaration, soon after MPs overwhelmingly elected Wickremesinghe, as the President, on July 20, that the SLPP fielded Dullas Alahapperuma, MP Kariyawasam asserted perhaps the former Premier said so taking into consideration his personal friendship with the Matara district MP. Lawyer Kariyawasam said that Mahinda Rajapaksa’s reaction could be interpreted in different ways.
Lawmaker Kariyawasam asked the interviewers to raise the issue at hand with Mahinda Rajapaksa while reiterating the SLPP took a hard decision and nothing mattered other than electing a person who could overcome the fascist challenge.
MP Kariyawasam declined to name culprits though he categorized a section of the parliamentary group as having conspired against the government.
The SLPP General Secretary questioned President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s failure to meet the threat posed by the protest movement. Declaring the SLPP had been surprised by the President’s decision to leave the country, lawmaker Kariyawasam queried whether the President cum Defence Minister refrained from exercising his powers, or the instructions issued by him weren’t carried out. Declaring that President Gotabaya Rajapaksa should have stayed back and faced the challenge, MP Kariyawasam said that the SLPP’s stand on this matter would be revealed later, along with what he called self-criticism of the party.
Asked whether the armed forces refrained from carrying out instructions issued by the President, MP Kariyawasam advised the interviewers to seek a clarification from the former leader.
MP Kariyawasam said the campaign that had been carried out against President Gotabaya Rajapaksa should be examined against the backdrop of Western powers interventions in Iraq and Libya leading to the execution of Iraqi President Saddam Hussein on Dec 30, 2006 and killing of Muammar Gaddafi on Oct 20, 2011 at Sirte, Libya. Lawmaker Kariyawasm recalled how the Western powers falsely accused Iraq of having Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMDs) before invading that country. Those who couldn’t stomach the eradication of the separatist LTTE were hell bent on taking revenge on the Rajapaksas, MP Kariyawasam said.
When Chamuditha Samarawickrema asked MP Kariyawasam to reveal the number of Colombo-based diplomatic missions that had been involved in the anti-government project, an irate SLPP official, while declining to answer, emphasized that it shouldn’t have been raised with him.
The public would know the truth one day, the MP said.
The contentious issue of handling corruption cases, during the Yahapalana administration, compelled the SLPP General Secretary to strongly dispute the UNP General Secretary.
Responding to the UNPer’s declaration that a team, supervised by Ranil Wickremesinghe, altogether handled 448 cases whereas the other team, spearheaded by Maithripala Sirisena and J.C. Weliamuna, did absolutely nothing, MP Kariyawasam said such claims were baseless.
Ex-MP Range Bandara harshly criticized both Sajith Premadasa and Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka. Alleging that MP Premadasa never had the guts to take up a challenge, lawmaker Range Bandara issued a dire warning to MP Fonseka over his call to revolt against the government. Declaring that the former warwinning Army Commander couldn’t operate outside the Constitution, the UNPer said that the Gampaha District MP could suffer the fate of Ranjan Ramanayake, who was found guilty of contempt of court and sentenced to a prison term.
MP Kariyawasam launched a scathing attack on former Power and Energy Minister Udaya Gammanpila over what he called the much publicized claim over an agreement with Oman to procure oil for a period of one year. In spite of such claims, nothing materilized thereby causing major problems for President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s government, the MP said.
A progress review meeting on reforms and modernisation initiatives at Sri Lanka’s key state revenue-collecting institutions was held on Thursday (15) at the Presidential Secretariat, chaired by Secretary to the President Dr Nandika Sanath Kumanayake, with the participation of representatives of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and officials of the Revenue Administration, Reform and Modernisation Bureau (RARMB) of the Presidential Secretariat.
At the meeting, the IMF representatives commended the revenue collection efficiency of the Department of Inland Revenue, Sri Lanka Customs and the Department of Excise, the country’s three leading state revenue-collecting institutions. Extensive discussions were also held on the progress of the reform and modernisation programmes being implemented at these institutions.
Secretary to the President Dr Nandika Sanath Kumanayake outlined the progress achieved by the three institutions to date and the reforms planned for implementation in the future.
The IMF representatives also highlighted the importance of strengthening risk management, developing human resources and ensuring the efficient operation of computer systems at the respective institutions.
Senior Additional Secretary to the President Seevali Arukgoda also attended the meeting. The IMF was represented by Cindy Negus, Senior Economist in Revenue Administration for the Asia and Pacific, Europe, Middle East and Central Asia regions; Alison Lister, Revenue Administration Adviser; and Gregory Toppin, Resident Revenue Adviser in Sri Lanka. A group of senior officials from the Revenue Administration, Reform and Modernisation Bureau of the Presidential Secretariat also participated.
(President’s Media Division)
By Anuradha Hiripitiyage
Electricity tariffs should be reduced by between 3 and 5 percent instead of being increased by 2.88 percent in the fourth quarter, as proposed by the National System Operator (NSO), Electricity Consumers’ Association Secretary Sanjeewa Dhammika said.
Addressing a media briefing in Maradagahamula, Divulapitiya, Gampaha, yesterday (16), Dhammika said a proper assessment of electricity generation costs, including the contribution of hydropower, could justify a reduction in tariffs.
He said the NSO had sought approval from the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL) for a 2.88 percent tariff increase, which was expected to generate an additional Rs. 4,438 million.
However, the Commission had indicated that an increase of only 1.46 percent was warranted, amounting to Rs. 2,245 million, he said, adding that even this increase was unnecessary.
Dhammika alleged that the proposed revision sought to pass on to electricity consumers the financial burden arising from the non-arrival of five coal shipments and failed tenders.
“The Government had said that the burden of coal-related losses would not be passed on to the public. It is therefore unjust to make consumers bear these costs,” he said.
He pointed out that the PUCSL had forecast that hydropower would account for 32.34 percent of total electricity generation in the coming quarter, while the cost of such generation would represent only 3.45 percent of the overall cost of electricity production.
Consumers should benefit from the lower cost of hydropower generation rather than bear the burden of more expensive thermal power generation, he said.
Dhammika also questioned the inclusion of Rs. 669 million in capacity charges that had not been approved by the PUCSL, as well as a further Rs. 1,069 million to repay loans relating to incomplete projects.
Including such charges in the proposed tariff revision was unjustifiable, he said.
The PUCSL has given the public until October 30 to submit their views on the proposed tariff revision.
Dhammika said the possibility of increased hydropower generation in the coming weeks, as reservoir levels rise, should also be taken into account when determining electricity tariffs.
He maintained that tariffs could be reduced by 3 to 5 percent if hydropower generation was properly assessed and coal-related losses and unapproved charges were excluded from the calculations.
He further claimed that electricity tariffs could be reduced by as much as 10 percent through the promotion of renewable energy and the effective use of solar power and battery storage systems.
The Electricity Consumers’ Association urged the Government to withdraw the proposed tariff increase, insisting that consumers should not be made to bear costs arising from coal supply problems and other disputed charges.
By S.K. Samaranayake
Most Ven. Warakagoda Sri Gnanaratana Mahanayake Thera of the Asgiri Chapter has called for the immediate release of Ven. Galagodaaththe Gnanasara Thera, who is currently serving a prison sentence, following a court ruling.
The Asgiri Mahanayake made the appeal when a delegation of senior prison officials, including Assistant Commissioner of Prisons and Director of Operations Senaka Pallegedara, called on him on the 16th.
During the meeting, the prelate warned that the continued incarceration of Ven. Gnanasara Thera could lead to a volatile situation and cause public agitation.
Responding to the appeal, the prison officials informed the Mahanayake Thera that the authority to order the release of Ven. Gnanasara Thera did not rest with the Prisons Department but with the President.
Other senior prison officials, including Rajeev Srimal Silva, Sampath Warnakulasooriya and Mangala Welivita, were also present at the meeting.
Review of progress in reforms and modernisation of key state revenue-collecting institutions
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